23-Year-Old Man Goes Missing During Cruise After Sending Final Message to Wife, Leaving Her Heartbroken
A Scottish tourist, Liam Jones, has disappeared from the MSC Euribia cruise ship and is feared dead. Authorities have launched an investigation, but the circumstances surrounding his disappearance remain a mystery.
Liam’s 20-year-old wife, Sophia McPhee, is heartbroken at the thought of never seeing her husband again. The 23-year-old social work student from Dundee was on a week-long luxury cruise to celebrate his mother’s birthday when tragedy struck. Described by those who knew him as a devoted husband and promising student, Liam embarked on the voyage on Friday, March 15, alongside his family.
The cruise, which departed from Southampton, was scheduled to visit several European destinations, including Hamburg, France, Belgium, and Amsterdam. However, the journey took a tragic turn on Saturday, March 16, as the ship was en route to Hamburg. It was then that Liam was reported missing. A search was immediately launched, and MSC Cruises confirmed the distressing news that a passenger had gone overboard.
Sophia, struggling to come to terms with her husband’s sudden disappearance, shared her anguish in an interview with the *Daily Record*. “I feel so lost. He’s just…gone,” she said, her voice filled with despair. The last communication between the couple was a text message from Liam, in which he mentioned feeling seasick. Shortly after, Liam’s sister sent Sophia a chilling message, suggesting that Liam might not return.
Authorities were notified, and police boarded the MSC Euribia upon its arrival in Southampton on March 21 to conduct a thorough investigation. Despite their efforts, the details of how or why Liam went overboard remain unclear. In a statement, MSC Cruises expressed their sorrow over the incident and confirmed their cooperation with law enforcement. “We are deeply saddened by this news, and our thoughts are with the family at this very difficult time,” a spokesperson said.
As the investigation continues, Sophia, along with Liam’s family and friends, awaits answers, hoping for closure in this devastating ordeal. The community has rallied in support of Liam’s loved ones, reflecting on the young man’s life and the void his loss has created.
Adding to the tragedy, this incident is not isolated. According to *Cruise Law News*, Liam is the sixth person to go overboard from an MSC cruise ship in the past four months. In November 2023, a crew member disappeared from the MSC Seascape. In December, two passengers fell overboard from different MSC ships, the Armonia and the Preziosa, under mysterious circumstances. In February 2024, another passenger fell into the sea but was fortunately rescued and hospitalized, recovering well after treatment. That same month, a 73-year-old U.S. passenger fell overboard from the MSC World Europa and died.
These consecutive incidents, occurring between November 2023 and March 2024, have raised serious concerns about MSC Cruises’ safety practices and emergency response measures. Family members and passengers have criticized the lack of immediate announcements and timely search efforts following Liam’s disappearance.
The story has also sparked widespread discussion online. One Facebook user commented, “Always find it so sad… Sometimes you hear rumors on the ship, and sometimes it’s announced just once. I can’t imagine what the family is going through. Whether it was an accident or not, someone is gone… my condolences.”
The conversation has also touched on broader issues surrounding cruise ship safety. A TikToker with the username @darastarrtucker, who worked as a singer on a cruise ship a decade ago, shared shocking insights into the darker side of cruise life. She revealed that free ice cream parties are sometimes held to clear space in the ship’s freezer for storing bodies. According to her, on a cruise with 2,500-3,000 passengers, an average of 4 to 10 people die, but the morgue can only accommodate seven bodies. If more deaths occur, the freezer is used, necessitating the removal of food items like ice cream.
Dara’s claims were supported by another TikToker, a former cruise ship medic, who shared photos of the medical center and morgue. He confirmed that the morgue had limited capacity and that freezers were sometimes repurposed to store bodies until they could be offloaded at the next port.
These revelations have left many viewers shocked and skeptical about cruising. One commenter wrote, “I swear every fact I learn makes me want to go on a cruise less.” Another added, “Thanks for the info. There was an ice cream party on my cruise ship, and now I know why.”
As the investigation into Liam’s disappearance continues, the incident has cast a shadow over the cruise industry, prompting calls for greater transparency and improved safety measures.
